Older Snap On Socket Question

[ritestuff]

I just picked up a few older Snap On 5/8" drive sockets and an extension. Some of the sockets have an older Snap On logo on them, and a few others have just a "S" stamped over an "O". Is that S/O thing actually an old Snappy logo?

I really don't know much about the older Snap On stuff and have just recently started collecting it when I see it. How old are these? Thanks in advance.

 

[3baygarage]

That is Snap On. Called the "overstrike" logo I believe. 1920's. Snapmom should be able to help best.

 

[3baygarage]

A 1/2" drive I picked up yesterday. Not the best stamping. The 1 is missing but must be a 19/32".

Is yours stamped with the size around the other side?

 

[snapmom]

Yes, the S over O is very old snap on, from the early 20's

 

[snapmom]

Actually, I believe the overstamped sockets were produced in 1923 only. Before that they may not have even had a name on them, and they were made by someone else for Snap-on Beginning in 1924 they used the Snap-On name, with the size in numbers with a part number.

What about the 7/8th drive sockets with the over strike.

 

[northwoods]

I am pretty sure that the overstrike was only used for a little over a year, around 1923 to 1924. In 1924 they went to the numbering system, reading the socket size in 32nds. Thus, a 7/8" socket would be number 280, 9/16" would be 180, 3/4" would be 240, and so on. The number is on one side of the Snap-on logo and the fractional size on the other. Sets can be closer identified by the drive bar that comes with it, if it is the same as new, which is hard to know for sure, as it may have been replaced, etc. And of course, in 1927 they started dating their tools, except for a short time in the late 1970s. I did recently run across a set of Vacuum Grip side cutters with Snap-On logo but no date. And I have a pair of pliers that has the Snap-On logo on the rivet, and no date. But that set could be from the '70s.

http://www.collectingsnapon.com/index.php?page=socket_sets/1-2inchdrive/Halfearlysockets